GoogleApps@UIC: FAQ and Quick Start Guide

Who can have GoogleApps@UIC account?

Faculty, staff and eligible UIC students can have a GoogleApps@UIC account.

Why should I use a GoogleApps@UIC account?

You get mail, calendar, Web sites, chat, and more. GoogleApps@UIC email accounts have all the advantages that an ACCC email account. (Except that you can't use Webmail to manage GoogleApps@UIC email.) And don't worry; using GoogleApps@UIC provides protection for intellectual property, privacy, and copyright.

Is a GoogleApps@UIC account a Google account?

No. The services are provided by Google, yes. And Google is responsible for storing your email and documents and so on. But the GoogleApps@UIC accounts are generated and managed by the ACCC. If you only use the Web interface, Google will not ever see your ACCC Common password. (If you use a personal computer email program or a smart phone to do your mail, then you will be giving your password to Google directly.)

You should think of Google as being the server for your GoogleApps@UIC account.

In summary, GoogleApps@UIC accounts are just like any other ACCC email account and are approved by the University for University work, subject to the GoogleApps@UIC Terms Of Service agreement. (Faculty, staff, and students doing sensitive work should pay particular attention to point 5 of the Terms of Service.)

Note that we are aware that many people at UIC are routing their netid@uic.edu email to commercial external accounts at AOL, Yahoo, Google, and so on. This is (a) frowned upon by ACCC security and (b) may eventually be entirely forbidden by the University.

How do I open my GoogleApps@UIC account?

• You will use your UIC netid and ACCC password to log into GoogleApps@UIC.
  
  
• If you don't have your UIC netid and ACCC Common password yet, go to the Activate Your UIC Netid and Password page to active your UIC netid open a GoogleApps@UIC account and set your netid@uic.edu email address to send email to your GoogleApps@UIC account.
  
  
• If you already have a UIC netid and ACCC password, go to the Open an ACCC Account page, login with your netid and password, create your Google Apps at UIC account. Also, if you wish, click the link to Change the Email routing of your netid to "my google apps @ uic account" so you will receive email sent to your netid@uic.edu there.
  
  
• If you already have a GoogleApps@UIC account, but your netid@uic.edu email is not currently being delivered to it, go to Change the Email routing of your netid, log in with your netid and ACCC password, and change your routing to "my google apps @ uic account" so you will receive email sent to your netid@uic.edu there.
  
  
• You must accept the (ACCC and) Google Apps at UIC Terms of Service. If you do not accept the Terms of Service, you cannot use your GoogleApps@UIC account.
  
  
• Also note -- any time you would like to change where netid@uic.edu email is being sent to, whether to your GoogleApps@UIC Gmail or somewhere else, go to Change the Email routing of your netid, log in with your netid and ACCC common password. If you are sending your email to a non-UIC email address, enter that email address in the box in the last option.

How to I log into GoogleApps@UIC? What userid and password do I use?

• On the Web, go to http://gapps.uic.edu to log into GoogleApps@UIC.
• Your userid for logging into GoogleApps@UIC, http://gapps.uic.edu, is your UIC netid.
• Your password is your ACCC Common password.

What services are included with my GoogleApps@UIC account?

Your GoogleApps@UIC account includes email; instant messaging (IM)/talk; calendaring; document, drawing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications; the ability to create personal Web sites, and many other services, all available on the Web, though the GoogleApps@UIC starting page: gapps.uic.edu

What is the email address for my GoogleApps@UIC account?

If your account is set up in the standard way, email sent to your netid@uic.edu will be delivered to your gmail.uic.edu account. But that might not be the case; see What is the email address for my GoogleApps@UIC account? for more information.

Am I required to use GoogleApps@UIC?

No, not it general. However, ...

Students at UIC are required to use their netid@uic.edu Email Address

UIC students are required to have an email address that is set up to receive email addressed to their netid@uic.edu email alias. The university and your instructors will often send important information there. Your new GoogleApps@UIC account can perform this function.

Will it do this automatically? For students, yes, if it is your first UIC ACCC account. But it doesn't always and it doesn't have to.

Please see What is the email address for my GoogleApps@UIC account? for a more complete discussion of GoogleApps@UIC email and its relation to your netid@uic.edu email address.

NOTE: If you were using an ACCC mail.uic.edu account before you switch your netid@uic.edu forwarding to Google, you will still be able to access your old email via mail.uic.edu after you switch.

Should I use GoogleApps@UIC? Can I require other people to use it?

In general, yes, you certainly can use GoogleApps@UIC; there are many features and advantages.

But if your job or research involves Copyright, Private, or Sensitive Data (FERPA or HIPAA, for example), please pay particular attention to point 5, Appropriate Use for Copyright, Private, and Sensitive Data, in the UIC Google Apps Terms of Service.

Also a consideration for instructors and UIC service providers: you are legally prohibited from requiring use of non-accessible services.  This may well include some GoogleApps@UIC services other than Gmail.

What is my GoogleApps@UIC/gapps.uic.edu userid and password? My email address?

• Your userid for logging into the GoogleApps@UIC landing page, http://gapps.uic.edu, is your UIC netid.
• Your password is your ACCC Common password.
• If your GoogleApps@UIC account is set up in the standard way, email sent to your netid@uic.edu will be delivered to your gmail.uic.edu account. But that might not be the case; see What is the email address for my GoogleApps@UIC account? for more information.

How do I change my password?

You can change your password at the regular ACCC password changing page. If you happen on the Google Apps/Gmail password changing page, it will direct you to the ACCC password changing page. You will need to know your current ACCC password to use this ACCC password changing page.

You must change your password at the regular ACCC password changing page if you want to use your GoogleApps@UIC Gmail with personal computer email programs (such as Thunderbird or Outlook) or with mobile devices. Note added May 6: Syncing the password change with Google is taking more time as more people are using GoogleApps@UIC; it might take as much as three hours. So don't worry if this doesn't work immediately because of your password. Try again later.

Password tips are available on the ACCC's Secure Passwords page.

What if I forget my password?

Before you forget your password, visit Forgotten Password Recovery Setup to set up options you can use to change your password if you forget it.

If you have already set up password recovery options, you can change your password with the Password Changing Utility that uses those options even if you have forgotten your current password.

Otherwise, you'll need to go to an ACCC consultant with picture ID and they will change your password for you.

Can I change my GoogleApps@UIC account username after I have activated my account?

No. Your GoogleApps@UIC account username is your UIC netid and that cannot be changed.

How do I log in to my GoogleApps@UIC account?

• To go http://gapps.uic.edu/.
  • Click the LOGIN TO GOOGLE APPS link at the top of the left menu.
  • On the first page of the standard UIC Web identification login, type your UIC netid in the NetID box and click Enter.
  • On the second page, type your ACCC Common password in the Password box and click Enter.

How do I log out of GoogleApps@UIC?

Closing a GoogleApps@UIC session is a two step process. You must do both.

• In each of the GoogleApps@UIC windows/tabs that you have open, click the Sign Out button.
• Then close your browser -- not just your browser window or your browser tab -- close your entire browser.

IMPORTANT WARNING: Just closing the Web browser (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.) or just clicking the Sign Out button will not end your session. The next user who comes along will have full access to your GoogleApps@UIC account. Always do both when you are using http://gmail.uic.edu on a shared computer.

Can I still use Webmail?

No, not for your GoogleApps@UIC email. But GoogleApps has a Web email interface at http://gmail.uic.edu/.

I've never used Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Docs before. Is there an introduction somewhere?

Yes, the UIC has a subscription to the online learning site lynda.com. Click on this link, log in with your netid and password, then select Google Apps from the Software... dropdown list. There are programs on Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs.

The lynda.com programs are complete, but you can pick and choose which sections you watch. Also these tutorials describe standard Google Apps, not Google Apps for Education, so the details will be a bit different. Those differences are described in this page and in the pages in the menu to the right.

Is GoogleApps@UIC different? Where can I find out about that?

Yes, there are differences. Some are described on this page. Many of the details are on the UIC Google Apps support pages; there are links to them in the menu to the right.

Google also has good, well organised, information on using GoogleApps:

Google's support page for Google Mail

Google's support page for Google Talk

Google's support page for Google Docs

Google's support page for Google Calendar

The How to navigate Google Support Rap (for fun and for information).

Want more info? Check out the Google Apps Learning Center.

Google Apps Learning Center.

What is Gmail? How do I read my GoogleApps@UIC Gmail?

Gmail is the Google-powered email service. The service offers multiple Gigabytes of storage for each account.

Many people access Gmail on the Web; go to: gapps.uic.edu

Do I need to know more than what is here?

There is a lot of additional information specific to the UIC version of Gmail in the GoogleApps@UIC: Using Gmail Web page. Please check it out.

You might also be interested in Moving to GoogleApps@UIC: Email Transfer Guide, which describes the process of bringing old email into Gapps. There are tools.

Finally, you can use GoogleApps@UIC's Gmail with your current personal computer (not Web) email program or mobile device; see Using GoogleApps@UIC Gmail with Other Email Programs.

What is the email address for my GoogleApps@UIC account?

This is a bit complicated.

Everyone at UIC has a UIC email address of the form: netid@uic.edu
For Ada Byron, whose student netid is abryon1, this is: abyron1@uic.edu
This is an important email address, because all official UIC email will be sent to it. But it is just an email address; there isn't an email account to go with it. At some point or other, you will have to select an actual email account to receive and manage your netid@uic.edu email.

Will your netid@uic.edu email go to your Google Apps at UIC account?

• Yes, probably, if this is your first ACCC account.
• Yes, certainly, if you have changed the forwarding of your netid@uic.edu to your GoogleApps@UIC account, then email sent to your netid@uic.edu will be delivered to your GoogleApps@UIC account. Ada Byron has her student account set up this way.
• Otherwise, no.
  
  
• Not sure which applies to you? Want to change where your netid@uic.edu email goes? Use Change netid@uic.edu email forwarding address to check and/or to change the forwarding to any of your accounts, on-campus or off-campus, including your GoogleApps@UIC account.

Your GoogleApps@UIC account also has its own email address. This email address will always work for your GoogleApps@UIC email: your netid@gmail.uic.edu
(If your netid@uic.edu email is being forwarded to your GoogleApps account, this is what the Change netid@uic.edu email forwarding address Web page will say your forwarding address is.)

Thus the GoogleApps@UIC Gmail email addresses of Ada Bryron, a student whose netid is abyron1, are

• abyron1@gmail.uic.edu
• and, because it is set up that way, it is also abyron1@uic.edu

I want my netid@uic.edu email to go to GoogleApps@UIC. Will I have to change something to do this?

If you open your GoogleApps at UIC account at the same time as you activate your UIC netid and select your ACCC Common password, then your netid@uic.edu email will automatically be sent to your new GoogleApps@UIC account. (There are rare exceptions to this. You will know if you are one of them.)

If your netid@uic.edu address is already set up to forward somewhere else (regardless of whether it is an ACCC or outside email account) when you create your GoogleApps@UIC account, then that forwarding will not be changed when you create your Gapps@UIC account. In this case, is up to you to decide whether you want to continue to send your netid@uic.edu your new GoogleApps@UIC account or not.

Use Change netid@uic.edu email forwarding address to check and/or change the forwarding to any of your accounts, on-campus or off-campus, including your GoogleApps@UIC account.

NOTE: If you were using an ACCC mail.uic.edu account before you switched your netid@uic.edu forwarding to Google, you will still be able to access your old email via mail.uic.edu after you switch.

I currently have my netid@uic.edu email sent to whatever@wherever.blah. What happens to my existing forwarding when I activate my GoogleApps@UIC account?

If you already have forwarding of your netid@uic.edu email alias address set to any email address, it will not be changed. In this case, you want your email to go to your GoogleApps@UIC email account, you will need to change the forwarding yourself.

If you want your netid@uic.edu email to go both to your GoogleApps@UIC email account and to an outside account (e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail), you can configure Gmail to forward the email that you receive there to do that. You do this in your Gmail account settings.

You can use the Change the Email routing of your netid Web tool to change the email address that your netid@uic.edu email is sent any time you want to. It does not have to be sent to your GoogleApps@UIC account.

I already have a mailserv email account; what will happen to it? Can I keep it?

• Yes, you can keep it for now. It will still be there and you will still be able to access it. This may change, but you will have more than ample notice when/if it does.
• If you had previously had your netid@uic.edu email sent to your mailserv (or tigger or icarus) account, you will still be able to use mail.uic.edu or Webmail to access this account as you did before.
• More information on transferring your email to your GoogleApps@UIC account is available in the GoogleApps@UIC Email Transfer Guide.

Can I read my GoogleApps@UIC Email using other Email Programs?

Yes, you should be able to set up GoogleApps@UIC Gmail in your current email program in the same manner as you would any other Google Gmail account. But you must change your ACCC Common password before you can do this.

Important: you will use your entire uic.edu email address, netid@uic.edu, as your user name when you set up your GoogleApps@UIC account in any program or device.

See GoogleApps@UIC: Doing GoogleApps Email with POP or IMAP for instructions, including the settings you will need to use.

Can I read my GoogleApps@UIC Email with my Smartphone?

Google thinks so. See Accessing GoogleApps@UIC by Mobile Device. If nothing else, there is always the Web; Google has a terrific mobile site. But there is probably something else, also.

I have email/contacts in my other email account (at UIC or elsewhere); can I copy them to my GoogleApps account?

Yes, you can.

To copy existing email mailboxes, if the other account is an ACCC mailserv account or a student account on icarus, we have a Web tool for you:

• GoogleApps Mailserv Email Migration Web tool
  
  
• GoogleApps Icarus Email Migration Web tool

(If your account is on tigger, just copy your email to mailserv first. There is a Web tool. It's easy.) And there are a number of other ways to copy email and contacts from any type of email mail account to GoogleApps@UIC Gmail.

See the GoogleApps@UIC Email Transfer Guide Web page for details. (It also has an introduction to the GoogleApps Email Migration Web tools and links to the Web tool to move tigger accounts to mailserv.)

Note that these tools will not transfer your contacts/email addresses/address book; for those you use comma delimited files. See How do I move my contacts (email address book) into GoogleApps? for instructions.

 

Howdo I use Google Docs and Presentations?

Google has good information on using Google Docs:

Google's support page for Google Docs

How do I configure Google Docs?

The Google Docs service (documents, drawings, and spreadsheets) needs to be configured to display the last update time on your documents.

1. On http://gmail.uic.edu page, click Documents in the upper left corner. (Note that Google Documents will open in a new tab.)
2. Then click Documents settings (upper right ). Set your current time zone to Central Time and your language to English (US).
3. Click the Save button to update your Google Docs settings.

How do I use Google Calendar?

Google also has good information on using Google Calendar:

Google's support page for Google Calendar

I have my calendar in UICalendar. How can I get it into my Google Calendar?

There isn't a specific tool to transfer all your data from UICalender to your Google Calendar, but it is easy for to get data from UICal into Google Calendar. You can either subscribe Google calendar to your UICal feed -- for a repeating connection, that is unfortunately read only -- or import the data from UICal into Google Calendar -- in this case, you have full access to your data, but the import will not repeat automatically. Both are described UICalendar Utilities: iCal Web Links.

I already have a Google calendar. Can I see them both at the same time?

Yes, just "share" your other Google calendar with your GoogleApps@UIC calendar.

1. Login to your other Google calendar.
2. Click on the down arrow to the right of the calendar's name in the list of your calendars under My Calendars on the left, and select Calendar settings from the menu that opens.
3. Click the Share this Calendar link.
4. Under Share with specific people, type your netid@uic.edu in the Person box.
5. Click Add Person.

Can I synchronize my GoogleApps@UIC calendar with my smartphone?

Yes, one way or another. See Accessing GoogleApps@UIC by Mobile Device below. If nothing else, there is always the Web; Google has a terrific mobile site. But there is probably something else, also.

Can I synchronize Thunderbird and Outlook calendars with my Google Apps calendar?

Yes. There is a Thunderbird plugin that allows you to do a two-way sync between Thunderbird and your Google Apps calendar; Sync Google Calendar and Contacts with Thunderbird explains how.

And with Outlook, you can use Google Calendar Sync; Google's Introduction to Google Calendar Sync explains how.

Do you already have another type of calendar? Do a Google search like this one:

subscribe thunderbird calendar to google calendar

That got me lots of info. It's not too surprising that Google knows where there is information on using Google Apps. :)

Want more info? Check out the Google Apps Learning Center.

Google Apps Learning Center

How do I use Google Talk?

Google has good information on using Google Talk:

Google's support page for Google Talk

Google Apps Sites, powered by Google, allow you to create Web sites to share information with your choice of people.

Individuals or team members can work together to upload group documents, add comments, group calendars, photos, and videos to the Site.

See site examples and take a quick tour of the Web site service.

How do I use Google Sites?

Google's support page for Google Sites

Who is eligible to create GoogleApps@UIC Sites pages?

Only people who have GoogleApps@UIC accounts can create GoogleApps@UIC Sites.

How do I get started?

To get started, click the Sites link at the top of the gmail.uic.edu page. You will create a Site name, Site category, and Site description.

How do I build my Site?

A full explanation of details ranging from customization tips to embedding objects to managing your account are available on the Google Sites Help Center.

How do I change the settings and appearance of my site?

After your site has been created, click More actions in the upper right corner, then select Manage Site.

Use the Tabs on the left under Site Appearance to change the site's appearance.

Google Sites has a lot of very nice templates. You can select one, if you wish, but if you don't like any of them, you can create your own. This will allow you to create a site that looks exactly like you want it to look. Use the Page Templates tab of Manage Sites.

Who can view my GoogleApps@UIC Site?

You can share your Site with as many or as few of people as you wish; it's up to you. When you create your Site, you will be asked who you would like your Site to "collaborate with". Here you can choose to share your Site with everyone, everyone in the GoogleApps@UIC domain, or specify individuals or Google Groups that you want to view your Site.

When you are viewing the site, click More actions in the upper right corner, then select Manage Site and click the Sharing tab to edit privacy and sharing settings after the Site has been created.

Can I post anything to a Site?

All Site content must adhere to University policy. These include but are not limited to:

• Acceptable Use Policy
• Policy: Using Network and Computing Resources

It is the Site owner's responsibility to maintain and update Site content. If you discover inappropriate or out of date content, contact the Site owner directly to discuss the issue. If the problem persists, send a message to the consult@uic.edu.

Where can I go for questions about how to use Sites?

Visit the robust Google Sites Help Center for assistance with Sites. Take note that because GoogleApps@UIC Sites is in beta version, you may encounter issues that Google is still developing. If you would like to report these issues to Google, visit the Google Sites Help Group to share information.

Creating Google Groups at UIC

A Google Group, as you might think, is an email discussion group that comes with its own Web page to read the email sent to it. But it is much more -- it is a collaboration tool. Pretty much anything you can do in Google Apps you can share with a Group. Docs shared with a group can be edited by one person while other people look on and see the changes almost real time. (And those other people can make changes also.) You will want to use Google Groups. I promise you.

For an introduction to creating and using Google Groups at UIC, with an emphasis on how it is different from standard Google Apps, see Google Apps@UIC: Using Google Groups.

Personal Google Groups at UIC

Most Google Groups will be personal groups, which are groups that are associated with a specific person's netid. You can create this type of group yourself. Personal Google Groups will have names of the form: netid-description@uic.edu, where "netid" is your netid and "description" is something that describes your group. The description part can be between 3 and 15 characters, numbers, letters, hyphen/dashes (-), and underscores (_) only. If Ada Byron, abyron1, had a number of knitting-related groups, she might name them the following:

• abyron1-knits
• abyron1-adv_knits
• abyron1-knits-list
• abyron1-knits-3

These list names are email addresses also: abyron1-kints@uic.edu and so on.

You will use a UIC Web page to create personal groups in GoogleApps@UIC. An important feature of Google Groups at UIC is that once a UIC Google Group has been created, you will not be allowed to change its name. This is to prevent problems in sending and receiving email by the group. This is different from how standard Google Groups works. Google Apps@UIC: Using Google Groups has step-by-step instructions, including screen shots.

Official Google Groups at UIC

We understand that there will be a need for official Google Groups, as well -- ones that should not be named with a particular person's netid. Say, if UIC had a Knitting department, the department might want to have a knitting-dept group. Or knitting-undergrad. Or a campus-wide topic, such as uic-alumni. I hope you get the idea.

If you would like to open a group/email list in Google Apps of this sort, please send email to googleapps@uic.edu. Give us the name of the group, the name and netid of the group's owner -- even though these groups will not have a specific netid in their names, they will have to be owned by a specific person on campus -- and a description of what the list is for.

Going to Your Personal Google Groups Page

The usual way to go to a group in Google Apps is to click on the the more item in the top left menu on any Google Apps screen, then select Groups from the more submenu.

Or you can get there directly by clicking on the groups icon: at gapps.uic.edu.

The resulting screen will list the groups you are in, allow you to search for or browse other groups, and manage your group memberships.

Managing Google Groups at UIC

The management of a Google Group in GoogleApps@UIC will be done with the standard Google Apps tools, but do not change its name once it is created.

Also, if, as the owner of a list, you want to add additional people to manage the list, we ask you to add him or her as a Manager rather than an Owner.

For More Information

Google Apps@UIC: Using Google Groups has information specific to UIC about using Google Groups.

For more information on using groups in Google Apps, see the Google Groups Help Center.

Click Help on the upper right of your Google Groups screen to go to the Google Help Center, with a highlighted link to the Google Groups Help Center.

What does a mobile device need on their Web browsers to access GoogleApps@UIC and gmail.uic.edu?

• Javascript must be enabled; some devices have Javascript disabled by default
• XHTML compliant
• Cookies need to be enabled
• Network must allow cookies and secure SSL traffic

What Web address do I use in a mobile device to access GoogleApps@UIC services?

To read and reply to email messages, view calendar appointments, and browse your documents using the Web browser on your handheld mobile device, go to:

m.google.com

From there, you can tap to login to any GoogleApps@UIC app.

Can I use my Phone's Built-in Email and Calendar Program?

Important: you will use your entire uic.edu email address, netid@uic.edu, as your user name when you set up your GoogleApps@UIC account in any program or device.

For email, you should be able to set up GoogleApps@UIC Gmail on your phone in the same manner as you would any other Google Gmail account. But you must change your ACCC Common password before you can do this. See GoogleApps@UIC: Doing GoogleApps Email with POP or IMAP for instructions, including the settings you will need.

Another interesting option is Google Sync, which, for supported phones, syncs email, contacts, and calendars. On most devices, Google Sync uses the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Note that data may be deleted from your phone when you install Google Sync, so make sure to back up before you set up Google Sync.

Google Sync is great if you can use it because it is two-way -- changes you make on the Web go to your phone and changes you make on your phone go to Google.

Follow Google's instructions to set it up; there are links on the Google Sync page.

Special considerations for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod)

Google Sync for iOS is still in beta, and has a long list of known problems, some of which I have encountered on my iPhone. I am still using Google Sync, though, because the connection for calendars and contacts is two-way.

You have also the option of setting your Google Calendar up as a CalDAV calendar on your iOS device; Google's CalDAV Calendar Sync has instructions. You can use CalDAV sync and Google Sync simultaneously, which you might want to do, given the limitations of Google Sync.

Both of these methods require iOS 3.0 or higher.

Special considerations for BlackBerries

BlackBerries are a special case; their support for Google accounts is somewhat limited. As of this writing, Version 5 of the BlackBerry operating system does not even support GoogleApps accounts in their email client; you cannot enter the necessary "@" in the user name field when you set the account up.

For BlackBerries, Google has special apps for Gmail and for Google Sync. These apps are free from Google, but carrier charges may apply.

So, please see Google for BlackBerry for more information on using BlackBerries.

How do I find out what's available for my phone?

There are many (other) options, even for the phones we've covered here. To see what is available for your phone, visit m.google.com with your phone's browser to see what's available specifically for your phone make and model. Google says they have something even for phones without data plans.

Are there limitations on gmail.uic.edu or other GoogleApps@UIC services?

Yes. Note that these are all Google's limits. They can and do change them (without telling us), so what we have here might not be current when you read it.

Email Messages: You can send email messages to no more than 2000 accounts in a single day. (Not a single message; this limit is cumulative over all the email messages that you send each day.)

Email Quotas: You can send and receive mail messages up to 25 MB in size, including attachments. The current quota is just over 7 GB.

Documents: The maximum permitted size is 500 Kb plus up to 2 MB per embedded image. Additionally, your account has a limit of 5000 documents and 5000 images.

Presentations: The maximum permitted size is 10 MB with a limit of 5000 documents and 5000 images.

Spreadsheets: Each spreadsheet can be up to 10,000 rows, or up to 256 columns, or up to 50,000 cells, or up to 20 sheets -- whichever limit is reached first. Imported spreadsheets cannot exceed 1 MB. Your account is limited to 200 spreadsheets.

Do I need to configure any of my GoogleApps@UIC services?

The Google Docs service (documents, drawings, and spreadsheets) needs to be configured to display the last update time on your documents. On your http://gmail.uic.edu page, click Documents in the upper left corner. (Note that Google Documents will open in a new tab.)

Then click Documents settings (upper right ). Set your current time zone to Central Time and your language to English (US). Click the Save to update your Google Docs settings.

Can I log on to other Google-sponsored services with my GoogleApps@UIC username and password (e.g. gmail.com, blogger.com, etc.)?

No, to gmail.com, yes to blogger, Reader, Picassa, and many, many others. On any GoogleApps@UIC page, click more at the top left, and select even more. They are not kidding.

Why are some GoogleApps@UIC services slightly different from similar services that are provided by Google to the public?

GoogleApps@UIC accounts have been customized for optimal educational collaboration. Current Google-style Gmail users might notice that not every feature and function is identical to comparable features in the GoogleApps@UIC service. The ACCC is dedicated to testing enterprise functionality to ensure security and quality before deploying new features and services to the UIC community.

What will happen to my GoogleApps@UIC account when I leave the University?

GoogleApps@UIC is still very new. We don't know the answer to this question yet. We are looking into to the possibility allowing people to export their data when they leave, but nothing is available yet.

What will happen to my GoogleApps@UIC account if I graduate and return to the University as a graduate student?

Your account stays with you as long as you are at UIC.

Is my GoogleApps@UIC account secure and private?

This service is being provided by the University as a primary email/collaboration system. University policies apply to the service.

GoogleApps@UIC has been customized for optimal educational collaboration. UIC has taken steps to ensure that your data and information is protected above and beyond a publicly available account.

Your GoogleApps@UIC account is configured so that all your Google Docs, Sites, and so on start out as private. You have to option to grant wider access to anything that you create, either to individual people in the GoogleApps@UIC domain, to the entire GoogleApps@UIC domain, or to everyone. Google will ensure that everyone accessing it has shown proper credentials.

Google has promised to uphold a strict privacy policy and to always treat your personal information with the utmost care and security. Read more about Google's policy at Google Privacy & Security.

It is important for you to realize that your GoogleApps@UIC account is a UIC/ACCC account, just like an ACCC mailserv or Exchange email account is. Your GoogleApps@UIC account should not be confused with any commercial Google accounts (that you would go to google.com or gmail.com to log into) that you might already have. While the GoogleApps@UIC services are provided by Google, it is completely controlled by the ACCC. The ACCC provisions, suspends, and deletes GoogleApps@UIC accounts;  the ACCC handles authentication for Web access; UIC owns and controls access to the data.

So, if someone sues Google to see your GoogleApps@UIC email, the UIC will be notified, UIC will have legal standing, and UIC will handle the situation the same way it does today for ACCC mailserv accounts.   

How is my personal data used?

Google's computers process the information in your account for the purpose of providing an effective service (e.g. putting mail into folders, maintaining contact lists, etc.). See above for more information.

Is my information publicly available?

By default GoogleApps@UIC services are not publicly available. You can personally configure each tool to meet your specific needs. Information can be protected by only granting access to trusted individuals. Please exercise caution when sharing information with others for added protection.

How do I ensure that my data stays secure when I'm using a shared or public computer?

Make sure you totally log out of GoogleApps@UIC when you are finished using it. See How do I log out of GoogleApps@UIC?

IMPORTANT WARNING: Just closing the Web browser (e.g. Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.) or clicking the Sign Out button will not end your session. The next user who comes along will have full access to your GoogleApps@UIC account. Always do both when you are using GoogleApps@UIC or gapps.uic.edu on a shared computer.

Can I use the Google Talk service to call 911 in the event of an emergency?

The Google Talk service facilitates Google to Google voice over Internet calls and should not be used for emergency communication. Use another telephone mechanism in the event of an emergency.

Can I access the GoogleApps@UIC services from networks in countries that support censorship?

It has been reported that people located in countries that support censorship sometimes experience difficulty viewing or receiving information from UIC systems. This challenge exists regardless of the service provider. Users are encouraged to use the University-provided Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection that may, in some cases, lessen the difficulty. UIC will continue to address specific issues as they arise.

Are there any restrictions on the use of GoogleApps@UIC accounts for persons involved in sensitive data or research, FERPA, or HIPAA?

• Members of the UIC community who participate in programs that involve sensitive data including that covered by HIPAA must use an ACCC mailserv or other UIC email account for those activities. A GoogleApps@UIC account cannot be used as the primary email account if sensitive data needs to be transmitted.
  
  
• It is the strong recommendation of the University that all members of the community who work closely with proprietary research data exercise vigilance when transmitting primary or analyzed data via email.
  
  
• Student data that is protected by FERPA is permitted in the GoogleApps@UIC services, however, provided that it is shared only with the student involved and is never made publicly accessible.
  
  
• IMPORTANT: Members of the UIC community who handle sensitive data and who create a GoogleApps@UIC account should use Change the Email routing of your netid to make sure that their netid@uic.edu email is being forwarded to their mailserv or UIC Exchange email account and not their GoogleApps@UIC account after they open their GoogleApps@UIC account. Remember that you can receive email at your GoogleApps@UIC account at the email address netid@gmail.uic.edu, even if you don't have your netid@uic.edu email sent there.
  
  
• More information in the GoogleApps@UIC Terms of Use.

Consider our Troubleshooting Guide. If you need additional assistance, please call the Client Services Office at (312) 413-0003. You can file a problem report or email us at consult@uic.edu.

Our sincere thanks go to Northwestern University Information Technology, who generously allowed us to use their list of questions and answers, which we have modified for use at UIC.